Just over the past few years there has been a lot of disasters on this small planet. There have been tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes – and more. Nature is always threatening and if you are reading this then you are not unfamiliar to the man-made problems that can occur. The word seems – at least to me – to becoming more and more volatile and dangerous. However – the unfortunate events that are affecting tens of thousands of people worldwide should serve as a reminder that anything can happen at anytime.
If you value the safety of yourself and your family – the time to prepare is NOW.
Over the past few months I have been stepping up my prepping. Increase food stores has been and continues to be a priority. I have a plan made on what I will continue to do over the next few months and into the Fall – and it revolves around suring up my preps in several areas. I suggest you do the same.
I have been planning on doing an “Introduction to Prepping” post for some time and this will NOT be it. No matter- I want to throw out a few ideas and suggestions especially if you are still in the beginning stages of prepping.
- Food & Water – Get it! Without it you are in bad shape. Stock up on what you currently have in your pantry by buying extras. Shop the sales and get foods that provide sustenance (calories). Fill your cabinets and then fill totes. Buy spring water by the gallons. Store water in containers such as rinsed soft drink containers. Buy a water filter such as a Berkey or at a minimum those you can find at Wal-Mart and Target. The bottom line is – and although food prices have increased recently – you can find good deals and with a little bit of money you can buy quite a bit if you shop sales.
- Firearms – Get something! If you already have a firearm – great. Do you have plenty of ammunition? Do you have magazines for it? When was the last time you shot it? You need to be able to use your firearm proficiently. Time for a reality check: There are a lot of bad people out there. If a significant disaster happens – and you have supplies – there will be those that do not have supplies and they WILL come to take yours. Don’t doubt that statement. What guns to have has been discussed many times – but if you could only have one – a shotgun is a pretty good choice.
- Methods for Light – Got flashlights? One of the first things to go in a disaster is power. Without power – once the sun goes down your ability to see will be gone as well. Flashlights are incredibly powerful nowadays and relatively inexpensive. Buy several and have plenty of extra batteries. I recommend getting ones with LED bulbs as they sip from the batteries and last a very long time. Battery operated lanterns as well as those run from oil or propane can be used to light up an entire room.
- Communication – Let’s talk! Sitting with your food, guns, and flashlights will be stressful enough without any method of contacting others and finding out what is going on with the situation. Have a battery or hand-crank powered radio available so you can listen for incoming news. If you have a battery powered radio- have plenty of extra batteries. If you are not alone and have family members- get a pair or two of FRS/GMRS radios so that should someone need to leave your position to patrol, check shelter conditions, or whatever – you will have some method of communication. Most likely in ny type of disaster cell phone service will be absent.
- Medical/First Aid – Get a good first aid kit! If you or a family member has a medical condition requiring medications -stock up on extras – as much as you can. Having a decent first aid kit is the first step in preparing for any kind of disaster when it comes to medical situations. Stock up on extra rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial hand sanitizer, Clorox bleach, and Lysol will assist in keeping sanitation-related illnesses at bay.
Call this a “Call to Action” to sure up your supplies or just a reminder. Either way – the time to prepare is NOW….while you still can.
